Essendon free to play finals after AFL delays hearing!

specky92 · August 21, 2013, 10:42:00 AM

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/essendon-free-to-play-finals-after-afl-delays-hearing/story-fnca0u4y-1226700156431

'ESSENDON has three weeks to salvage what remains of its 2013 finals campaign after the AFL backed down from its plan to have serious charges against the club and senior coach James Hird determined next Monday.'

'The case against Essendon, Hird, his senior assistant Mark Thompson, football manager Danny Corcoran and club doctor Bruce Reid will now be "dealt with in due course", removing any threat of an AFL sanction that would exclude the Bombers from next month's finals series.'

Rusty00 · August 21, 2013, 10:48:05 AM

I wonder if this will give them the impetus to turn their form around, because at the moment they will be a threat to no-one in the finals.

specky92 · August 21, 2013, 10:50:21 AM

Yeah tbh at this rate we won't really be having a say in finals, but two testing games coming up, with players being almost cleared and finals now a certainty who knows, :)

Grazz · August 21, 2013, 11:03:40 PM

Sh!ts me how the media hype it, "The AFL back down from it's plan blah blah". It's written in to the AFL guidelines whereby if you are charged by the AFL for bringing the game into disrepute and you apply for more time to build a defence it is granted.
Media has been as a big a letdown in this as the AFL and Essendon probably more so, just print the facts you White Goodmans and keep the editorial inflammatory headlines to whichever political party you dislike.

Mailman the 2nd · August 21, 2013, 11:06:31 PM

Although I feel as if Essendon are gone first week of finals regardless, I think they still deserve to have a crack with the beginning they had

Rusty00 · August 22, 2013, 02:14:08 PM

Quote from: Grazz on August 21, 2013, 11:03:40 PM
Sh!ts me how the media hype it, "The AFL back down from it's plan blah blah". It's written in to the AFL guidelines whereby if you are charged by the AFL for bringing the game into disrepute and you apply for more time to build a defence it is granted.
Media has been as a big a letdown in this as the AFL and Essendon probably more so, just print the facts you White Goodmans and keep the editorial inflammatory headlines to whichever political party you dislike.

The media haven't really been a letdown......because we've come to expect this sort of stuff from them >:(

Grazz · August 22, 2013, 06:22:08 PM

Quote from: Rusty00 on August 22, 2013, 02:14:08 PM
Quote from: Grazz on August 21, 2013, 11:03:40 PM
Sh!ts me how the media hype it, "The AFL back down from it's plan blah blah". It's written in to the AFL guidelines whereby if you are charged by the AFL for bringing the game into disrepute and you apply for more time to build a defence it is granted.
Media has been as a big a letdown in this as the AFL and Essendon probably more so, just print the facts you White Goodmans and keep the editorial inflammatory headlines to whichever political party you dislike.
The media haven't really been a letdown......because we've come to expect this sort of stuff from them >:(

True Rusty very true, you learn over time to have little trust in the media so I shouldn't be surprised at all.

tbagrocks · August 22, 2013, 06:26:41 PM

Still two weeks, I actually believe Bombers will not play finals!

Bluke · August 22, 2013, 06:35:39 PM

I dont expect the Bombers to be playing come finals.

Another week of this and sponsors will start pulling support unless Hird is jettisoned. When that happens Hird will be gone and EFC will roll over. It cant come soon enough IMO, because the current state of affairs is a debacle. Hird is acting like a child, time to grow and take your lashes.

AFEV · August 22, 2013, 07:40:41 PM

The sponsors have had since February to pull out, would be bizarre for them to step back now...

Bluke · August 22, 2013, 08:12:38 PM

Its only just starting to get messy though...

Nige · August 23, 2013, 07:06:03 PM

WARNING: The following article is from Caro.

So now Essendon are set to miss finals?

Ringo · August 23, 2013, 07:45:00 PM

Channel 7 and age reporting that Essendon may miss finals by stripping of points. AFL also seeking 12 month suspension for Hird.

nrich102 · August 24, 2013, 06:49:24 AM

ABC radio saying they'll lose premiership points.

silloc · August 26, 2013, 03:05:16 PM

what's changed all of a sudden? why is it almost certain Essendon will be stripped of points?
I was under the impression stripping points only happens when the team has done something illegal to affect on field performance. As in, salary cap or drug cheating. Or can the AFL do what ever they want?